The San Rafael City Council will review staff recommendations for considering renter protections.

Andrew Hening, Director of Homeless Planning & Outreach will present a report on Renter Protections.

Subject: PROPOSED RENTER PROTECTION POLICIES – MANDATORY MEDIATION AND JUST CAUSE EVICTION

From the report:

Staff recommends that the City Council consider directing staff to further research and return with proposed rental policies and protections potentially modeled after the County of Marin.

In conclusion, the two policies described above address different issues for landlords and tenants: Mandatory Mediation may help alleviate disputes regarding significant rent increases, while Just Cause protections identify acceptable reasons for eviction. Because each policy addresses different but related issues, in considering both policies together, the City Council could have a more significant impact than simply passing one measure by itself.

Staff has conducted preliminary public outreach on this matter. On January 10, 2019, the Director of Homeless Planning & Outreach, the Code Enforcement Manager, and a Code Enforcement Officer attended a community meeting in the Canal that was hosted in Spanish and attended by over 100 residents. There was unanimous support for these policies.